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Alex let out a warm sigh as she pulled Michael’s red jacket over her upper-half. She wrapped her arms around herself for a moment, hugging the warmth to her as tightly as she could before letting go and stepping towards her full-length mirror where her boots were waiting for her.
She barely made a sound as she slipped her feet into them before lacing them up tight and standing up once more. Once Alex made sure her boots were on tight, she reached for her brush that laid on her nightstand before quickly running it through her teal hair. She winced a few times as the brush got caught in a knot, causing it to pull her hair, but soon she threw the brush on her bed and pulled her hair back into her usual ponytail.
Alex looked around her room to find her purse and quickly snatched it off her desk before heading towards her bedroom door to head downstairs.
She felt a bit nervous as she headed down the steps of her house which caused her to feel a little silly since she had spent time with Clarissa and Nona before in truth she had never been by herself with them. This was the first time that she, Clarissa, and Nona were hanging out on their own without Jonas and Ren being with them.
Surprisingly, it had been Clarissa’s idea saying that she knew that none of them were even close to done with their Christmas shopping. She suggested they make a girl’s day of it where they could all spend time together and while they got the presents that they all needed.
Alex had to agree since this was the first time since what happened to Michael that Clarissa had reached out. Sure, they were somewhat friends now ever since the Edward’s Island horror, but it was clear that they all wanted to be a little more of a tighter group.
“Alex. come on Ren said they’re going to be here soon,” The voice of her brother Jonas’ yelled to her not knowing that his step-sister turned sister was already making her way down the stairs.
“I’m already here,” Alex shot back as she hopped off the last step onto the first floor causing Jonas to jump from where he was in the living room, clearly not hearing her coming down from her room.
“About time,” Jonas sighed dramatically as Alex rolled her eyes at her brother’s teasing. “You take forever to get ready, you know that?” He asked, still teasing his little sister who glared up at him playfully.
“Says the guy that spends ten minutes putting his beanie on,” Alex shot back reminding her brother of how long he took in the bathroom the other day trying to put the red beanie on perfectly.
“Perfection takes time, Alex,” Jonas said as he reached up and smoothed back his beanie as if it was his hair, causing Alex to shake her head and laugh.
“Time? Really?” Alex asked, the sound of laughter still in her voice as she rolled her eyes once more before heading towards the small table that was next to the door.
“Yes, really,” Jonas shot back as he stuck his tongue out at her, which Alex quickly returned as she reached her hand into the wooden bowl on the small table to pull her keys from inside of it.
“You’re such a dork,” Alex said to him before sliding her keys into the pocket of Michael’s coat, patting it gently to make sure they were safely inside. She never put her keys or her phone in her purse in case she needed them for an emergency.
“And you’re a nerd,” Jonas said as he watched Alex make sure she had everything she needed before she left. “Are you sure you’ll be okay?” He asked gaining Alex’s attention causing her to turn and look at him with confused eyes. “It’s just.. I know you and Clarissa haven’t always been the best of friends,” He explained, trying not to bring up old memories but the strange overprotective brother instincts taking over.
“I’ll be fine Jonas,” Alex with a warm smile this wasn’t the first time that Jonas had worried about her but it always made her feel happy when Jonas checked on her. “Trust me, if there're any problems which there won’t be I’ll call you,” She promised as she held up her hand. “Scouts on honor,” She joked with a laugh, causing Jonas to roll his eyes and laugh at his sister’s silly joke.
“You’re not a scout,” Jonas commented as he looked down towards his phone to check the time.
“How do you know?” Alex asked, a smug look on her face which caused Jonas to roll his eyes once again. “So what are you and Ren going to do?” She asked after a few seconds, suddenly remembering that the reason Ren was with Nona and Clarissa right now was that they were dropping him off as they were picking her up.
Nona had insisted that since all three of them were having a girls’ day that Ren and Jonas should have a boys’ day. Neither had been too thrilled at the idea since they had never spent time together unless Alex was with them, but the two decided to give it a shot. Mostly because Nona and Alex had begged for them to do so.
“Probably play video games and watch tv,” Jonas explained with a shrug since those were truly the only two things that they had been able to think of.
“Sounds challenging,” Alex teased, laughing a little harder than before as Jonas pushed her shoulder, causing her to stumble but not to fall.
“I hope your feet hurt as you walk around the mall,” Jonas threatened, causing Alex to gasp her own dramatic gasp.
“How horrible of you to say,” Alex said, her hand placed over her heart as if she might faint at any moment. “Just for that I might just forget your Christmas gift,” She told him with a threat of her own.
“You wouldn’t dare,” Jonas glared as Alex glared back, both enjoying the weird game, which was one of many that they played.
Before Alex could keep up their little game with a comment of her own, a loud honking from outside caused them both to jump. They both stood frozen for a few seconds as the sound of blaring Christmas music reached them both.
“Sounds like they’re here,” Alex laughed as Jonas nodded and laughed, a smile on his face. “Have fun and don’t eat any of Ren’s brownies,” She said as she moved forward and gave him a quick but tight hug.
“Don’t worry, I never do,” Jonas said as he wrapped his arms around Alex, returning the tight hug. That had been a thing between them since Edward’s Island.
“Later,” Alex called out as she and Jonas pulled apart before she headed towards the door.
“Later,” Jonas called back as his sister exited the house, leaving the door wide open for Ren to run inside.
Alex smiled as she breathed in the chilly air, noting how snow-covered everywhere but the roads thankfully.
“Hey, Alex,” Ren waved as he stepped out of Clarissa’s car to wave at his best friend who happily waved back.
"Hi, Ren," Alex called while heading down the steps of her house meeting him halfway on the house's walkway before both giving one another a quick hug.
“Get in loser, we're going shopping,” Clarissa shouted out of her window as she honked the horn once more her fur coat covered arm hanging out the window as she motioned for Alex to come on.
Alex hugged Ren for another second longer before they both let one another go and headed towards their friends. Alex watched as the door to her home closed after Ren walked in before she quickly headed towards Clarissa's car and opened the back door.
"Hi, guys," Alex said as she slipped into the warmth of the car that was ever so slightly broken by Clarissa's rolled-down window.
"Hey, Alex," Nona said with a bright smile to her friend/boyfriend's best friend.
"Hi, Brat," Clarissa said as she rolled up her window calling Alex the old nickname that she and Michael used to call her as a joke when times had been somewhat similar.
Alex smiled at the sisterly term of endearment that made her feel like everything was going to be okay.
As they pulled away from Alex's house leaving Jonas and Ren to their boys' day the three girls began to talk.
Alex's smile got even bigger as they talked to one another while Clarissa turned up the remix version of classic Christmas songs all of them jamming to the music as they headed towards the mall.